Open Textbook Library gains national attention as effort to reduce student costs

2ernstThe U of M’s Open Textbook Library, created by the College of Education and Human Development, is getting attention across the country as a tool to help instructors find affordable, high-quality, and openly licensed textbooks. A recent New York Times article, “Putting a Dent in College Costs With Open-Source Textbooks,” notes that “college students could save an average of $128 a course if traditional textbooks were replaced with free or low-cost ‘open-source’ electronic versions.”

In the article, David Ernst, chief information officer in the college and lead creator of the Open Textbook Library, said that “professors, busy with teaching and research responsibilities, often don’t know that quality open-source textbooks are available.” He travels nationwide giving presentations about the burden of textbook costs on students, emphasizing that faculty are the ones who decide which textbooks to use in their courses. He said that many professors are now adapting open textbooks to meet their needs and to benefit students.

Read more in a blog post by Ernst or see other stories on open textbook adoption.